Adventurous, Honest and Wholesome

Haloumi with Honey, Lemon and Thyme

A salty, mild cheese originating from Cyprus with a high melting point, which makes this perfect to fry. It would normally be pronounced (huh-loo-mee) but my Turkish friend Leyla would always tell me off, saying (hell-im), so pronunciation varies.

I have seen this become more and more popular in the UK, having felt very new and exotic at one point. Now, it has thankfully become one of the more popular cheeses and I often make this dish at a BBQ or dinner party as a side for people to have as they wish. Last time I made this I was a bit merry and managed to cook it so long that it started melting but it still tasted amazing with the slow cooked lamb, flatbreads and salads.

The charring of the lemon adds an extra twist and can be done on the BBQ. I have added a sprinkling of pistachios and almonds along with honey and thyme but up to you where you want to take this. I’d love any suggestions as to extra bonus bits that would complement this dish but please do try in its most simple state (if you haven’t done yet) as it’s beautiful.

Ingredients

1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

Haloumi slices, about 0.5-1cm thick

2 tbsp of runny honey

Sprig of thyme

First, char the lemon on a BBQ or in a hot, dry pan and leave to one side.

Slice the haloumi and remove the leaves from most of your thyme, leaving just a few stems intact.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large pan until quite hot and then add your slices. Cook in batches if necessary. Cook for about 2 minutes on one side then drizzle with about 1 tbsp honey and then add half your thyme.

Flip and cook for about 2 minutes on the other side, drizzling and sprinkling with more honey and thyme. Haloumi should be caremalised and golden. Serve warm with your charred lemon. Voila!!

Yum yum!! That looks absolutely amazing, especially with the lemons to cut the sweetness and richness. I can imagine it would be great as a full salad too, with lots of different leaves, and maybe some diced ham thrown in to make it a complete meal. :-)